Sports shoe



Dec. 2, 1958 J. v. MELCHIONA SPORTS SHOE a M/ 1 W Rpm a 2 w m 2 wk A We. w 1M 3 M W 2 e m I JM m m-mwn@&\ 9 d 2 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 De 2, 195 J. v. MELCHlONA 2,862,312

SPORTS SH OE Filed Jan. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ James MMek/u'ana United States Patent Q 2,862,312 SPORTS SHOE James V. Melchiona, Cincinnati, Ohio Application January 10, 1958, Serial No. 708,131 8 Claims. (Cl. 36-59) This invention relates to sports shoes and is particularly directed to improved locking means for detachably securing anti-slipping tread members, such as cleats and spikes, to the soles of sport shoes. 1 The locking devices for the present detachable tread member assemblies for sport shoes have not proved satisfactory because in some instances these members work loose. and come off during use, resulting in injury to the players participating in contact sports, such as football, whilst causing great foot discomfort and annoyance to golfers and other individual sports participants.

it is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a positive locking device for the co-operative screw threaded parts of detachable, anti-slipping tread member securing devices for sport shoes which will not Work loose during use but may be detached with the use of a conventional leverage tool for the purpose of replacing a worn or broken cleat, and for like purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified and rugged tread member securing device having the foregoing characteristics.v

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged section through the center of an anti-slipping tread member such as a football shoe cleat, showing the locking device of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4- is an enlarged central section through a modilied form of my locking device.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section through the center of a further modified form of my locking device.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken on line 99 of Fig. 7 showing a spike of a lock washer in position prior to assembly of the tread member.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section through the center of a modified form of my locking device that is applicable to golf shoes.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line 1111 of Fig. 10.

With reference to Figs. l-3 of the drawing the sole 9 of a football shoe, or the like, is customarily provided with an innersole 1t), and an outsole 11 which sometime have a flexible metal plate 12 interposed between them .which is held therein by marginal sole securing stitches (not shown). A tread member 13, such as a cleat or spike, is secured to the outsole 11 by a screw threaded mounting means generally indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 14, that is suitably anchored in the sole. This tread member mounting means preferably comprises a flat, circular head 15 fixed against rotation in the inner sole 10 by means of peripheral teeth 16 em- 2,862,312 ilatented Dec. 2, 1958 bedded in the inner face of the inner sole and having a shank joined co-axially thereto. The shank is shown as having a non-circular base portion 17 that passes through a non-circular hole 18 formed in the flexible plate 12, an intermediate, threaded portion 19 that extends out through the outsole, and an externally threaded outer end 20 that is threaded to a tapped bore 21 formed axially in the tread member 13. The intermediate stud portion 19 that extends from the outsole 11 is provided with left hand threads whilst the threads on the end 20 of the stud are so called right hand threads, it being noted that the two sets of threads are chased in opposite rotatory directions on the stud. A washer 22 freely encircles the intermediate portion 19 of the stud and is in contact with the outer surface of the outsole 11. A flat nut 23 is threaded to the intermediate portion 19 of the stud and bears tightly against the washer 22, said nut having a thin peripheral portion that is provided with a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes 24 which are positioned concentrically with the intermediate portion of the stud 19. The central portion of the washer is relatively thick and is formed in the shape of a hexagon 25 so that a suitable tool can be applied to the nut to draw the assembly up into an effective anchoring means for the stud.

The tread member is provided with a circular, centrally disposed nut receiving recess 26 which is centered with respect to the axis of the tread member and forms 21 peripheral flange 12.7 on the tread member which is in en- ICC gagement with the peripheral portion of the washer 22.

Projecting from the bottom of therecess is a spring pawl 29, embedded at one end in the material of the tread mem-. ber 13 and having its other end in ratcheting engagement with the row of holes 24 in the nut when the tread member is threaded on to the stud. Behind. the spring pawl 29 is a back-up member which takes the form of a non-. flexible lug 3t embedded beside the spring pawl in the body of the tread member and having its outer end extending part Way along the projected portion of the finger 29. This back-up member 30 is positioned behind the spring pawl such that when loosening forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud the back-up lug will reenforce the spring pawl and prevent ratcheting action thereofto thusprovide a positive locking means between the tread member and the nut 23. In the event it becomes necessary to remove the tread member for replacement thereof a suitable tool is applied to the tread memher which will exert suflicient force to deform the spring pawl so that the tread member may be removed. To this end the exterior base of the cleat could have opposed flats formed thereon for engagement by a suitable wrench, or a tool having serrated jaws such as a pipe wrench could grip the external face of the cleat for'application of a rotatory force suflicient to remove the cleat from its mounting stud. It is to. be observed that any loosening force exerted on the tread member and transmitted through the spring pawl to the nut will tend to tighten the nut on the stud for the reason that the stud and the tread member are reversely threaded on the stud.

It is contemplated that one skilled in the art could make certain modifications in the structure of Figs. 1-3, for example, the intermediate portion 19 of the stud 17 could constitute the end of the stud and said portion provided with an internally threaded bore which would receive the projected end of a threadedmetal stem embedded at its opposite end in the tread member. This threaded connection between the stud and the tread member would operate in .exactly .the same .way and produce the same function as the connection, illustrated in Eigs. 13 of the drawing. 7 g 7 Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing the numeral 31 indicates an externally threaded stud air-1 chored in the sole 32 of a sport shoe having its threaded end projecting out through the bottom of said sole. A sole engaging washer 33 has a central hole 34 for freely receiving the projected end of the stud '31, said washer being drawn up tightly against the sole to form a strong stud anchor by means of a nut 35 threaded on the stud. This washer and nut may be modified by providing the hole 34 in the washer with internal screw threads that thread the washer to the stud'31 whereby the nut 35 when turned up tight against said washer will lock the nut and Washer together. This washer is provided with a series of peripheral spikes 36 that are embedded in the sole to prevent rotation of the washer, said washer having a circular ridge 37 formed thereon, concentric with the hole 34 and positioned between said hole and the periphery of the washer. The ridge 37 is provided with a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes 38 which are disposed around the crest thereof. As in the case of the device shown in Figs. 1-3 the tread member has a spring pawl 39 embedded in the body thereof which has ratcheting engagement with the circular row of holes when the tread member is threaded onto the stud 31, a back-up lug 40 also embedded in the tread member beside the spring finger being provided to stiffen it when loosening forces are exerted on the tread member tending to unscrew the member from the stud.

- In Figs. 68 of the drawings there is shown another modification of my device wherein the reference numeral 41 indicates the usual sole of a sport shoe and numeral 42 indicates a threaded stud anchored in the sole and having a threaded end projecting from the bottom thereof. A washer 43 is in contact with the sole, a nut 44 being threaded on the stud and bearing against the washer to provide a good anchoring means for the stud 42. A lock disc 45 has a central non-circular hole 46 formed therein for snugly receiving the hexagonal shaped nut 44 whilst the peripheral edge of the disc has stamped therein a series of spikes 47 that are embedded in the sole 41. As shown in Fig. 6 the lock disc 45 is formed on a larger radius than the washer 43 and therefore has a peripheral edge that projects radially out beyond the washer 43 and it is in this peripheral edge that the spikes 47 are formed so that said spikes may clear the washer for engagement in the sole 41. The tread member 48 is provided with a central recess 49 which forms a circular flange 50 around the tread member which is in engagement with the peripheral portion of the lock disc that overhangs the washer 43. The bottom 51 of the recess 49 is provided with a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes 52 which are engaged by a spring pawl 53 stamped from the lock disc 45. As best shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the spring finger comprises an elongated rectangular portion 54 joined at one end 55 to the lock disc body 45 and provided with a pair of triangular side wings 5657 integral with the inner end of the rectangular portion and bent at right angles thereto. With reference to Fig. 7 it will be noted that this finger and its side wings are stamped from the body of the lock disc to leave an opening 58 in the body, the cut out portion being first bent upwardly around the part 55 into an operative position and then the side wings being bent at right angles to the rectangular portion 54. As best shown in Fig. 8 the spring finger 54 will have ratcheting engagement with the circular row of holes 52 in the tread member when the tread member is threaded onto the stud. 42 whilst the Wings 56 and 57 will form back-up means for the finger when loosening forces are exerted on the tread member tending to rotate the tread member off of the stud 42. With reference to Fig. 9, it will be noted that the spikes 47 on the lock disc 45 are preferably bent upwardly away from the body of'the lock disc at the time the disc is made, the spikes being driven into the sole of the shoe when the tread member is screwed onto the stud 42 during final assembly of the device.

Although the locking means for preventing accidental loosening between a mounting member fixed on a sport shoe sole and the tread member screw threaded on said mounting member, has been illustrated only on the general type of cleat used on a football shoe it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to any other type of cleat, to a golf shoe spike or for baseball spikes, and the like. In this respect there is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 a spike construction applicable to the sole 59 of a golf shoe, said spike having a tread member mounting means comprising a flat circular head 60 fixed against rotation in the sole by peripheral teeth 61 embedded in the inner face of the sole. An integral shank 62 extends co-axially from the head 60 and has an externally threaded end 63 that projects through the sole. A fiat nut 64 is threaded to the threaded end of the shank 62 and is provided with peripheral teeth 65 embedded in the outer face of the sole 59. A tread member such as a golf shoe spike 66 is provided with a co-axial, externally threaded stem 67 which is threaded in an internally threaded hole 68 formed in the shank 62 of the tread member mounting means. As is the case with the modified form of my device shown in Figs. 1-3 the external threads on the end portion 63 and the internal 'threads formed in the hole 68 are chased in opposite rotatory directions whilst the locking means for the modification is interposed between the tread member and the nut 64 and ratchets when the tread member is threaded onto the mounting means and is locked when loosening forces are exerted on the tread member tending to turn the tread member from the mounting means.

The locking means comprises a flexible finger 69 struck from the body of the nut 64 which engages a circular row of radially extending ratchet teeth 70 formed in the concave face 71 of the spike 66. Thus when loosening forces tend to rotate the spike from the tread member mounting means such movement will cause the nut 64 to be urged in a tightening direction on the tread member mounting means thus precluding loosening of the mounting means.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. Locking means for preventing accidental loosening between a mounting member anchored on a sport shoe sole and a tread member screw threaded on said mounting member comprising a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes in one of the members disposed concentric with the screw threads, a spring finger mounted on the other member and having ratcheting engagement with the circular row of holes when the tread member is screwed on to the mounting member, and a back up lug mounted on said other member and engaging an intermediate portion of the spring finger to provide locking engagement between the members when forces tend to unscrew the tread member from the mounting member.

2. In combination with a sport shoe having an outsole, a tread member, a tread member mounting means anchored on said outsole and including a left hand, externally threaded stud projecting from the outsole, a flat nut threaded to the stud and bearing tightly against the outer surface of the outsole, a concentric, circular row of angularly spaced apart holes formed in the nut, right hand threaded means securing the tread member to the projected end of the stud, a spring pawl mounted on the tread member and extending therefrom into ratcheting engagement with the circular row of holes in the nut when the tread member is threaded onto the stud, and a back up means associated with the spring pawl to provide positive locking engagement between the pawl and a hole of the circular row when forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

3. In combination with a sport shoe having a sole, a stud anchored in the shoe sole and having an external screw threaded intermediate portion extending out through said sole and a unitary, projecting end portion having external screw threads running in a reverse direction with respect to the threads on the intermediate portion, a nut having an internally threaded bore screw threaded on the intermediate portion of the stud and having a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes formed therein concentric with the bore, a tread member having a nut receiving recess therein and a co-axial internally threaded bore screw threaded on the end portion of the stud, a spring finger mounted in the tread member and projecting from the bottom of the recess into ratcheting engagement with the row of holes when the tread member is screwed onto the stud, and back up means mounted on the tread member and co-operating with the spring finger to prevent flexing. thereof when loosening forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

4. In combination with a sport shoe having a sole, a stud anchored in the shoe sole and having an external screw threaded intermediate portion extending out through said sole and a unitary projecting end portion having external screw threads running in a reverse direction with respect to the threads on the intermediate portion, a flat sole engaging washer on the intermediate stud portion, a nut having an internally threaded bore screw threaded on the intermediate stud portion against the central part of the washer and having a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes formed therein concentric with the bore, a tread member having a central nut receiving recess therein and a circular washer engaging flange thereon, said tread member having an internally threaded bore therein co-axial with the recess and screw threaded on the end portion of the stud, a spring finger embedded in the tread member and projecting from the bottom of the recess into ratcheting engagement with the row of holes when the tread member is screwed onto the stud, and a back up lug embedded in the tread member beside the spring finger and projecting from the bottom of the recess part way along the projected portion of the finger to prevent flexing of the finger when loosening forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

5. In combination with a sport shoe having a sole, a stud anchored in the shoe sole and having an external screw threaded shank extending out through said sole, a sole engaging washer concentric on the stud and having a number of peripheral spikes embedded in the sole, a nut threaded on the shank and bearing against the washer, a circular ridge portion formed in the washer concentric with the stud and having a circular row of angularly spaced apart holes formed in the crest portion of said ridge, a tread member having a central nut receiving recess therein and a circular washer engaging flange thereon, said tread member having an internally threaded bore therein co-axial with the recess and screw threaded on the stud, a spring finger embedded in the tread member and projecting from the bottom of the recess into ratcheting engagement with the row of holes when the tread member is screwed onto the stud, and a back up lug embedded in the tread member beside the spring finger and projecting from the bottom of the recess part way along the projected portion of the finger to prevent flexing of the finger when loosening forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

6. In combination with a sport shoe having a sole, a stud anchored in the shoe sole and having an external screw threaded shank extending out through said sole, a flat, sole engaging washer concentric on the stud, a noncircular nut threaded on the shank and bearing against the washer, a lock disc having a central hole thereof of a configuration to snugly receive the nut, said lock disc having a peripheral portion extending radially beyond the washer and provided with a number of sole embedded spikes formed on the peripheral portion that extends beyond the periphery of the washer, a tread member having a central nut receiving recess therein and a circular flange bearing against the peripheral portion of the disc, said tread member having an internally threaded bore therein co-axial with the recess and screw threaded on the end of the stud, a circular row of holes formed in the tread member in the bottom of the recess concentric with the bore, and a spring finger on the disc and projecting into ratcheting engagement with the row of holes when the tread member is screwed onto the stud, and a back up means on the disc and in contact with the inner part of the finger for stiffening of the finger when loosening forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

7. In combination with a sport shoe having a sole, a stud anchored in the shoe sole and having an external screw threaded shank extending out through said sole, a flat sole engaging washer concentric on the stud, a noncircular nut threaded on the shank and bearing against the washer, a lock disc having a central hole therein of a configuration to snugly receive the nut, said lock disc having a peripheral portion extending radially beyond the washer and provided with a number of sole embedded spikes formed on the peripheral portion that extends beyond the periphery of the washer, a tread member having a central nut receiving recess therein and a circular flange bearing against the peripheral portion of the disc, said tread member having an internally threaded bore therein co-axial with the recess and screw threaded on the end of the stud, a circular row of holes formed in the tread member in the bottom of the recess concentric with the bore, and a spring finger therefor stamped from the body of the disc and comprising an elongated rectangular portion joined at one end to the disc body, a pair of triangular side wings integral with the inner end of the rectangular portion and bent at right angles thereto, said finger projecting into ratcheting engagement with the row of holes in the tread member when said member is screwed onto the stud, and said wing mem bers being interposed between the inner portion of the finger and the disc to provide a back up means for the finger for stiffening it when loosening forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

8. In combination with a sport shoe having an outsole, a tread member, a tread member mounting means anchored on said outsole and including a left hand, externally threaded stud extending through the outsole, a flat nut threaded to the stud and bearing tightly against the outer surface of the outsole, said stud having an internally threaded bore therein that is chased therein in a direction counter to the external threads thereon, an externally threaded stem anchored in the tread member and threaded in the bore in the stud, a circular row of radially extending ratchet teeth formed in the inner face of the tread member concentric with the stud, a flexible finger projecting from the nut and extending therefrom into ratcheting engagement with the teeth in the tread member when the tread member is screwed onto the stud, and a back-up means positioned on the nut and associated with the flexible finger to provide locking engagement between the finger and the teeth when forces tend to rotate the tread member off of the stud.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 737,044 Thorne Aug. 25, 1903 2,254,027 Bonnell Aug. 26, 1941 2,258,734 Brady Oct. 14, 1941 2,306,308 Goldenberg Dec. 22. 1942 2,523,652 Dowd et a1 Sept. 26, 1950 2,774,151 Dahlquist et al. Dec. 18, 1955 

